Unlikely Help
by PLKBerry
Summary: Sadie, curious about the forbidden Manhattan, drags Carter to investigate when they stumble across Annabeth, who is searching despretly for Percy, who has just dissapeared. Sympathetic, the Kanes offer thier help. What happens when they befriend Annabeth?
1. Chapter 1

**Just Read.**

_Sadie_

Now that everything was over and done with, I was relived. Sure, we had worse coming. It was just the calm before the storm, I knew that. And I was going to enjoy it.

I remembered, when we first arrived at New York, Amos had mentioned something about other gods in Manhattan… Naturally, I had to check it out! It was the middle of winter, and snow was softly falling on the pavement of the busy streets. So far, I'd found nothing out of the ordinary, but I was keeping an eye out.

"Sadie! Sadie, there you are! What are you doing here? You know Amos said not to come to Manhattan!" Carter scolded, coming up behind me.

I groaned, "Carter! C'mon, have a little fun, a little adventure! Aren't you curious as to why we can't be here?"

"Adventure?" Carter asked angrily, "Adventure? I've had enough adventure to last a lifetime, thank you very much! Now, c'mon, we should go home."

"You can go if you want to, but I'm staying. You can't make me leave." I retorted hotly, not stopping, not turning around.

Carter followed behind in pensive silence for a while, "Fine. But there's no way I'm leaving you here alone."

"Fine," I continued walking, completely ignoring him. We went for a while not finding anything of interest, and I was just about to suggest we turn back, that there wasn't anything here at all, when I heard a girl's voice calling in the distance, "PERCY! PERSEUS JACKSON! DO YOU HEAR ME? PERCY!" The voice sounded desperate and fierce, like this Percy guy was everything to her. Overreaction.

I was about to shrug it off as some overprotective mom, when I saw the girl. She was tall, maybe around 16 or 17, tan and athletic looking. She had curly blonde hair piled in a ponytail, but it was falling out. Her eyes were a startling gray, like storm clouds.

Now, nothing about this prospect impressed me. It's not why we stopped. We stopped because her strong, athletic figure was slumped and overtired, because her curls were limp and lifeless, because the dark circles under her eyes indicated that she had not slept for some time. Her gray eyes were tinted red, and darting around like a scared animal. But our biggest clue that she might not be so normal? She was gripping a knife, looking like she was ready to impale someone.

"Hey, Sadie. Look over there! See that girl?" Carter whispered to me, eyes glued to the girl. I rolled my eyes. _No, _I completely missed the knife-wielding maniac.

"Yeah, I see her. Think she might be something?" I whispered back.

"Defiantly. Let's go check it out," he led the way over to her.

Didn't want to be here? Mm-hmm, looks like it.

"Hey, umm, I'm Carter and this is Sadie." Carter said as he approached the wild girl, introducing us.

"That's great, but look, I'm a little preoccupied right now so if you could just…" she trailed off and attempted to sidestep us.

"Look, we're trying to help you here, so if you could let us, we'll find this Percy guy and then we can all just get on with our business." I put in, because I wasn't going to just stand there and let Carter be pushed around when we were trying to help this chick! She's bloody annoying.

She eyed us suspiciously. If it were anyone else, I would have stepped closer, looked her in eye right back, and said, "You want our help or not?" But she wasn't ordinary. I practically crumbled under her gaze. I looked in her eyes and saw millions of secrets swirling around in the storm clouds, as if she was drawing them from me. It was cowardly and stupid, but my eyes went down and down until I was looking boldly at her trainers. Brilliant.

I don't know what she would have said or done, but luckily or unluckily Carter stepped in. (I'm thinking it was more lucky.)

"Sorry, but she is right. We want to help. We can, I'm sure. Don't mind Sadie, she's a little… impulsive."

I glared at him, and noticed she had shifted her gaze to him as well, but it seemed softer than the one she gave me. Of course, because he's Carter.

"I don't mind impulsive. Most of the time. I was just thinking… she reminds me of a friend of mine." She turned to me again, but it was much less threatening. Almost… curious, like she was studying me.

"Who? Percy?" I jeered, trying to regain my composure.

Her expression visibly darkened, but a hint of laughter flickered across her secretive eyes. "No, but close. Very close."

"So, will you accept our help?" Aww, Carter! Why does he always have to take the diplomatic approach!

Her eyes flickered between us, impassive and revealing nothing, like all the secrets and intelligence were just building up and would remain in her head forever.

"Yes. Yes, I think I will."

**Alright, the next chapter will be in Annabeth's POV. What will happen next? Read to find out! Break's over tomorrow, so I won't have much time to write, but I'll try. (Review really encourage me, hint, hint)**

**Peace, Love, & Life**

**PLKBerry**


	2. Chapter 2

_Annabeth_

I led the pair through the streets of New York, to a back alley. The girl, Sadie, looked suspicious when I led them here, but the boy, Carter, didn't appear too alarmed. He looked uneasy, but not like Sadie.

"Don't worry," I assured them, "I just needed somewhere the mortals wouldn't see." I saw them exchanged a look. "I'm not going to hurt you. I can tell you guys aren't normal, that's all I mean. I'm just going to get us a ride to somewhere we can talk."

They both looked a little more relaxed now, but I could tell Sadie was still unsure of my motives. I pulled a drachma out of my pocket, and threw it into the street, shouting, "_Stop, Chariot of Damnation!"_ in Greek.

The pair then looked warily at each other, alarmed; especially when the familiar vehicle bubbled up from the tar. If looked as if it was woven from smoke, but I knew it was actually made of despair. My companions backed away slowly. Sadie took out a stick, and I wondered what it was, and how it was supposed to protect her. Carter drew what appeared to be a curved sword that appeared seemingly from thin air, but I realized it must just be enchanted, like Percy's sword. _Percy._ I swallowed, and pushed down the tears that threatened to overflow. The thoughts piled up, the force of my emotion like a tsunami, crashing over me in a flurry of anguish. I shoved these feelings aside, and turned to Carter and Sadie.

"Don't worry!" I consoled, "They won't attack us, and they're really very wise. They've helped us out before."

"Who's _us_?" Sadie asked uneasily, "And how do we know you're not, like, _conspiring_ against us, or something? We're not bloody stupid, this is dangerous!"'

"Yeah," Carter added warily, "This is reckless and idiotic. Besides, if Sadie is admitting this is bad, it's gotta be bad."

Sadie scowled, "I'll get you for that later, but you have a point. There's no way we're getting inside that... thing."

I should've known this would happen. I'm a daughter of Athena! How had I not foreseen these reactions?

"Please, I swear to the gods that I have no intention of harming you." I said sincerely, praying that they'll believe me.

Carter's sword disappeared. I tried to see what it had morphed into, but it appeared to have simply… vanished. "Yeah…." He eyed me, clearly still suspicious, "Yeah, okay."

"You believe her?" Sadie queried in shock, "Seriously?" she held her stick up to me, as if to threaten me.

Carter nodded slowly, never taking his eyes off me, "Yeah… Can't you tell? She isn't planning to hurt us. She's being honest."

Sadie looked at Carter like he'd gone crazy. "Are you mad?"

"No. Look, Sadie. We've gotten this far, and we said we'd help her. You're the one who wanted to have an adventure." Carter turned to her and looked her straight in the eye.

Sadie studied me, "Fine."

She stormed off to the vehicle; and stood there uncertainly as an old, greasy head popped out, mumbling, "Passage? Passage?" Wow. She was so much like Thalia it was scary. Ouch. Remembering the one other person I'd ever said that about. I put on a mask, so as to remain impassive.

"Three to Camp Half-Blood," I said confidently as I sauntered up, and opened the door.

"Where?" Sadie glared at me, clearly irritated with me. She was probably used to her brother listening to her, but when a daughter of Athena's around, all other plans look pretty insignificant in comparison.

"Camp Half-blood. It'll be safe, I promise." I motioned for her to get inside, but Carter beat her to it. After that, she quickly entered after him, and I followed.

"No! No! NO! They cannot be here, they cannot!" The three ladies screamed.

"This is not like the Cyclops!"

"You do not understand!"

"You must beware! Do not let them in!"

Taken aback, I spoke sternly, "I don't think so. Tyson ended up being a true hero. And I _do_ understand that they have offered their help and I intend to take it. Ten more drachmas upon arrival."

"We never did get that extra payment from the last time…" Wasp said slyly

I dug out three drachmas and handed it to Anger, "Here"

"Alright, alright, hero of Olympus." Tempest replied.

"But you do not require their help; you just need to stay close to home." Anger added, followed by a hard _whap _from each of her sisters.

Sadie and Carter stared at me.

"What did she mean _hero of Olympus?"_ Carter asked uncertainly.

"I'll explain when we get there," I promised, and we fell silent as the trio continued their petty arguments.

0~O~0

When we arrived, I stepped out and handed the three sisters their extra ten drachmas, and Carter and Sadie stood at the side of the vehicle, waiting.

As the Gray Sisters drove away with a final, "The worlds must never collide; Just two halves of a whole!" I led the siblings (As I have concluded that they must be siblings based on their responses to each other) up to Thalia's pine, and I hesitated.

"Follow me," I whispered and walked around the borders of the camp till we reached the edge of the forest.

"I thought we were welcome here." Sadie spat at me, obviously not over what happened earlier. She even kept a grudge like Thalia! I missed Thalia... I absent mindedly wondered when she would next visit.

"You are," I assured them, "It's just something the Gray Sisters said."

"The Gray Sisters?" Carter asked cautiously, "Those… things back there?"

I nodded, "Yeah. I know they don't look it, but they're very wise. If you can figure out what their saying, it can tell you all sorts of things."

"So what part of their mad blubbering made you think we're not welcome?" Sadie asked, with a large helping of attitude. Ah… Yes, this was like a British version of Thalia. Sadie was obviously trying to push me away, so I wouldn't learn too much about her. But there were some things that were apparent no matter what she did. For instance, I could tell she would prove a worthy and loyal friend, if I played my cards right.

"They said, 'this isn't like the Cyclops!' and 'the worlds must never collide!'" I explained, "The last time I was in that cab, I was accompanied by a Cyclops, who turned out to be a hero, but was shunned from camp for the longest time. And…. 'The worlds must never collide.' I don't understand exactly what that means, but I can tell that it's significant. You two are different, something this camp has never seen before. I don't know how they'll react. It's best to just keep you hushed up for right now."

"Okay," Carter relaxed, and sat on a log, "So, you said you'd explain what you needed help with?"

"_And_ what those old ladies, Gray Sisters, I guess, meant by _hero of Olympus._" Sadie added, sitting next to Carter, but now her tone was not quite as stern, more curious.

"Right," I sat on a large rock nearby, "So, I guess I should start with-"

I was cut off when a snake's hiss ripped through the trees, and a large pile of scales launched itself onto Sadie.


	3. Chapter 3

_Carter_

I pulled my sword from the Duat, and ran to help Sadie. I had no idea what this thing was, but I wasn't going to let it hurt my little sister. (Yeah, I get a little brotherly sometimes- but she's still annoying.) It was weird, the thing didn't react to my sword the way most monsters did, it seemed less affected by it. But Annabeth pulled out a knife (what was that made of, it was the strangest color for a blade), and stabbed it, causing it to dissolve in a shower of… I rather not describe it.

Sadie stared at the stop it had been and began stuttering like an idiot, "I-what-how-you-gone-I… WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" she demanded, fury clearing her mind and turning to me. "What was that? I didn't recognize it from anything!"

"Neither did I," I admitted, "but my sword only annoyed it, Annabeth's the one that killed the thing." I turned to our strange new acquaintance, "It's dead now, right?"

Annabeth, who had been watching Sadie and I like a tennis match with an amused smirk on her face, suddenly grew serious, as if remembering something unpleasant. "For now."

"For now?" Sadie inquired angrily, "That just attacked me and you're calmly using cryptic language? What is going on here?"

"Ignore her." I instructed our frazzled guide, "I want an explanation, too. But first I want to know what's going on."

"Could you elaborate on that, please?" Annabeth asked me, her eyes resembling steel- cold and impenetrable.

"You were watching us just know, kind of happy, but then got all depressed. When we first saw you, you looked like you were out of your mind. And you have gray streaks in your hair, so either you're a lot older than I thought, or you've been under a lot of stress lately. Yet, you write off this attack like it's no big deal. Spill, now."

Annabeth's expression softened slightly and she took a deep, calming breath. "Alright," she consented, "you deserve to know. What do you want to know first; the reason behind my tirade, or the monster?"

"The monster," Sadie answered promptly.

I scowled, "Don't you think this might be just a tad important? The monster can wait- I want to know why she's so upset. Have you no compassion? Oh, wait, I'm sorry. You only care if it's a jackal-headed death god."

Sadie was about to retort something back, probably denying her feelings for Anubis, but Annabeth cut her off. "Wait, did you just say 'jackal-headed death god?'"

Sadie and I exchanged wary looks, "Now you've done it, Carter!" Sadie accused me.

I shook my head, "No. She's going to be honest with us, we should be honest with her."

"You trust too much," Sadie objected, "We can't just tell her! And she hasn't told us anything yet. Carter…" Sadie moved closer to me and lowered her voice to an urgent whisper, "Carter, we don't know anything about this girl. It could be dangerous."

I knew Sadie was right. I also knew she was being a hypocrite, but that's beside the point. There was just… something about this girl that made me trust her. Maybe it was the way she never stood down to Sadie. Maybe it was the alluring mystery she presented. Maybe it was me longing for acceptance, a clue to finding Zia. Whatever it was… Other heroes had trusted this girl. I was sure of it. I just _knew_. They had trusted this girl and she had helped them. She had helped them become heroes. Something about her was simply a tell-tale sign. I couldn't place it. But the way she looked at you…

"We can't expect her to answer our questions if we don't answer hers."

"But, Carter-"

I walked away, to where Annabeth was sitting on a log, looking completely at ease, chatting with- Wait a minute, chatting with? Where had that other girl come from?

"Oh, Juniper, I've got to go."

The other girl, Juniper I guess, glanced at me. "Right! Well… I just want you to know I've been in your shoes. But Grover turned up several months later safe and sound, only being asleep."

Annabeth sighed, a deep, heavy, tortured sigh, "Yes, but Grover didn't vanish overnight. I really appreciate it though, Juniper."

Juniper gave her shoulder a squeeze, "You were there for me. Look… We'll find him, okay? He'll be fine. He's invulnerable, remember?"

"Not completely." Annabeth pointed out.

"Yeah, but you're the only person who knows his weak spot, right?" the girl assured her.

"Ethan figured it out. And it won't protect him if he's burned or electrocuted or frozen to death or"

"Annabeth!" Juniper scolded, "I know your mom's the goddess of thought, but you're over thinking this. He'll be fine, okay? You have to believe that." She gave Annabeth one last comforting squeeze, "We'll find him." Then Juniper skipped off into the wood and… melted into the tree… She must have slipped in between two, and I saw wrong. I mean… no one can go into trees.

Then Annabeth addressed me, "So, your sister doesn't trust me?"

I sighed, and took a seat next to her, "It's nothing personal, she just-"

"Its fine," she interrupted me, "I know someone just like her." Than Annabeth's face darkened once more.

"You're doing it again," I pointed out, "won't you tell me why? And what were you are that girl talking about? And… what did she mean your mom's the goddess of thought?"

She fixed a looked on me that I couldn't read, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Sadie sulking and watching us warily at the edge of the clearing. "My boyfriend went missing today. He was here last night, went to his cabin and the next morning… he had vanished."

"Wow." I thought about Zia. That was tough, but at least I'd gotten some warning. "This…guy, gave no hints that he would leave?"

My companion shook her head, "He didn't even know. I've known Percy for five years. He didn't leave willingly. Not now. Not when everything was finally perfect." Un-spilled tears popped up behind her now misty gray eyes. "He's been captured. I'm positive."

I thought about that, "Before, you were screaming 'Percy!' You really care about him, huh?"

She nodded softly, and I knew I was seeing a side of her she didn't reveal often, "We've been through so much together. He… Everyone else left me. Or I left them. Either way, people don't stay in my life for long. I ran away from home when I was seven. My best friend at the time turned into a tree."

"What?"

Annabeth waved her hand dismissively, "Later. Anyway, my other good friend was never around. My teacher, who was like a second father, was fired. Silena and Beckendorf died. And then…" she paused, as if this was a delicate subject, "And then, then Luke betrayed me. Percy… he stuck around. When I would yell, and call him Seaweed Brain, he would yell back and walk away, but he always came back. Every time."

I waited. She was done, but there was more to the story, I could just tell. She took a deep breath, and resigned herself to telling me the story. "Percy convinced me to get back in touch with my family, and sometimes I even go home and stay with them. Percy's the reason Thalia's not a tree. Percy cleared my teacher's name. Percy was someone to talk to when Grover was gone for long periods of time. Percy made Silena and Beckendorf feel okay before they died, and made sure they were remembered. Percy got Luke to realize what was right and what was wrong."

This all sounded pretty final, but she wouldn't be this upset if she had all those people to help her through this. "What happened?"

She stared at me with those eyes, like she'd seen everything I would one day have to face. Like she knew. Like she would be me in a few years. With more experience, more heartbreak, more troubles, more pain… It looked like she had gone to the underworld and back, like she had held up the world.

"Relationships in my family are still shaky. Thalia left to join… well, it's like this girls club that's gone all the time."

"Why don't you join?"

She was silent for a moment, "I thought about it, a few years ago. But then, I realized that wasn't the life for me. Maybe for Thalia, but not for me."

I nodded, and motioned for her to continue.

"Luke died." Tears began tracing silky patterns down her face. "I couldn't stand it if Percy… He'd disappeared before, once. But not like this."

Sadie strolled up, clearly annoyed, "Bummer. Look, if this dissapearing act is a regular thing for him, then you don't need our help. Sounds like he's trying to get rid you; I can't blame him."

Annabeth's face instantly hardened, and I know Sadie had triggered her defense system. "Fine. Go." Annabeth stood, and walked to the edge of the clearing, "Go." Then she slipped in between the trees and vanished. A lot of that's been going on lately.


	4. Chapter 4

**So... Well, I'm not dead... I just got really busy, which, okay, isn't a great excuse, but bare with me! Anyhow, new character! Not a main character, really, but still! **

_Sadie_

"Sadie, what'd you do that for! She was about to tell me something important, I know it!" Carter scolded me, "Now you chased her off!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but I don't trust her. She's too secretive and I don't like it," I tried to explain. Maybe that was a little rude, and I lost my temper just a bit, but I have my reasons. "Besides, she's soft. She's runs off every time someone hurts her delicate little feelings!" I mocked, "If she is so great, why does she need our help?"

"You're the one who wanted an adventure, Sadie. One comes along, and you just keep making excuses to not go on it."

Ouch. Well, I wasn't going to take that. "Look, Carter, I know you upset about Zia, but there comes a point where it's borderline obsession. Admit it, you feel bad for her because you lost someone, too. You think that when you find this Percy guy, you'll find her. You have responsibilities, Carter. You're the older brother, and you can't forget all of this because of a bloody girl!"

"Says the girl who's juggling the feelings of a trainee and a god! You have to pick one, Sadie. You can be jealous of Jaz over Walt, or you can mope about your forbidden crush on Anubis. You can't have both, and you can't judge me or Annabeth."

"So you're on a first name basis here? When's the honeymoon? She has a bloody boyfriend she's going on about, Carter. She's not going to drop everything and start fancying you!"

"I don't want her to. I respect her, though. There's a difference."

"So, now you're listening to some random girl you just met over your sister who you saved the world with? That makes sense!"

"Did you even hear her story, or were you too wrapped up in your own misery to care?"

"Frankly, I don't care about her hour long back-story! I care more about how you're putting all your faith in her, and not anything that matters to you!"

Carter froze. Then, he spoke with an unnerving steely tone, "What matters to me? You didn't know or want to know anything about me until a few weeks ago. You think you know what matters to me?"

"Yeah, because those weeks we learned more about each other than the average siblings who've known each other forever. I know you, Carter. Believe it or not."

We stood staring at each other for a while, but the glaring contest was interrupted by a faint British accent called to me.

"No way. Sadie? Is that you? I can't believe it!" A girl of average height and tan skin ran up to me, totally ignoring Carter. Her bright green eyes sparkled, "You're a half-blood, too? I mean, I guess you don't live with your parents, so it's possible."

"A half-what?"

"Oh, still in the denial phase? Yeah, I went through that, too. You been claimed, yet?" She twirled her long dark brown hair, which reached the center of her back.

I glanced at Carter, "Uh... What? Who are you?"

"Lexi? Lexi Wright? You're Sadie Kane, right? We had almost all our classes together?" she prompted. Somehow, it clicked.

"Oh, that's right! Everyone wondered where you went. Why weren't you there last year?" Lexi had been the top of every class, with her hand up constantly. It was annoying, but we all knew who she was. When she didn't return after summer break, it was thought to be very strange and mysterious as the rumors flew.

"I was chased by a Lamia across the Atlantic and then this satyr found me and brought me here! Brilliant, don't you think? I stay here mostly, but I like to go home to visit my dad every few months. Now we can train together, it can be so much fun!" Lexi answered cheerily and enthusiastically, stepping forward and linking arms with Sadie and pulling her away from Carter slightly before going on. "It has been such a pain! I'll say something like, 'bangers and mash' and everyone will look at me like I'm mental! Of course, it'll take you some time to get used to everything, but don't worry- I'm here to help you with it all. So," she lowered her voice, "tell me what the deal with him is," Lexi jerked her head in Carter's direction, "He's defiantly cute."

I was confused by everything Lexi said, but I addressed the first thing I registered, "Wait, you mean _Carter?" _I gagged, "That's disgusting. Revolting. Repulsive. I can't even… No. Just no."

For some reason I could never fathom, she seemed amused, "That's what you say, but I saw how you communicated with your eyes. I'm no daughter of Aphrodite, but I know Lacy would love to come down here and do an analysis."

"Aphro-_what?_"

Surprisingly, I wasn't the one who asked. No, Carter had come up behind us to eavesdrop. So, he can swap secrets with little Miss. Sunshine, but I can't talk to someone I actually know without him. Yeah, he is so consistent, isn't he?

"Aphrodite, goddess of love," Lexi replied happily, "She-"

"Yeah," Carter interrupted-quite rudely, I might add-with a grim look on his face, "I know. But isn't she from Greek mythology?"

"Oh course!" Lexi looked slightly confused, "Hasn't anyone told you? I mean… This will be difficult. I guess I should do it quick… yes, best… Okay." Resolved, Lexi took a deep breath and extended her hand to me, like we were meeting for the first time, "Hi, I'm Lexi Wright, daughter of Demeter, Greek Goddess of agriculture and harvest."

"Just a moment," I interjected, "_Greek _Goddess?"

Lexi nodded before quickly explaining, "I know it sounds mental, but I swear it's true and once you get used to everything it's positively brilliant, you'll love it. This place is a haven for people like us, descended from the gods. We can live here. There are so many kinds of people you'll be able to get help for anything. And I know a girl in the Aphrodite cabin who could help you out with that." She finished, tilting her head subtly toward Carter.

Carter and I exchanged a look, and I decided to ignore her hints about Carter and I as a couple (So gross!), we had bigger problems.

**I know I don't deserve it, but if you could review I would be SO HAPPY! Yeah... ANYhow..**

**Peace, Love, & Life**

**PLKBerry**


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